MS as a whole are not failing at all,but if the do not do something sooner or later, their gaming side of them could suffer. By E3 when we have a clear idea of both the 720 and PS4 we will be able to see the true path of MS (which doesn't look good based on the 720 rumours)

Agree. They have to plan ahead. Mobile and Web is the future for the tech world. Whoever manages to get there will be the leader. Google got a great start with the web and Apple with their obscenely over priced hardware and services that are of top quality.

The other thing i think MS needs in a new image. For too long they have gotten themselves a pretty bad image. A lot of people only put up with them because they had no choice. Their monopoly over the OS and PC market is coming to bite them in the ass now that people have real and sometimes better alternatives.

MS surface isn't doing well against the likes of samsung's galaxy tab, let alone the Ipad LOL! and for the price MS charges for their tablets isn't a good choice compared to the alternatives that are very good in my opinion. Just a couple days ago I got the ASUS memo smart pad 10.1" for only $299 and I'm very satisfied with it's capabilities for that price, so the MS surface needs to drop in price or it's gonna be done for like the Zune...

MS smart phone doesn't stand a chance against the iphone or galaxy so I don't know why they even bothered..

I'm still happy with windows 7..

As for the 720... I think if they go all out casual, it's gonna be the end for their console business so MS better start considering they're hardcore fanbase before Sony takes over gaming again completely.

has never been the same since this man left. As much as I loathed the problems w/ the hardware and other complaints, I always liked this guy. Dude had ballz of stainless steel. They need to recapture his spirit.

When compare to a tablet it has horrible battery life,bulky and expensive. Compare to an ultra-portable. It has horrible storage capacity and lack other functionality ultra-portables provide.

It's a middle of the road solution that does not appeal to any mass market and only to a small segment. MS from my observation have been in this situation for a long time now. They lack vision. If it weren't for their monopoly over the PC industry they would be been dead a long time ago.

Post PC era they are now finding it even harder now to adjust because they are not a monopoly and are finally challenged by stronger and better positioned competitors that have vision to anticipate changes in the tech world and imagination to capture people with their products.

@maddens. Yes. It's no coincidence that when he was with xbox they had a clear vision of what they are about. They did pretty well then.

All I know is that tons of people are thinking about migrating to Ps4 next gen. What people have to realise is that they don't owe loyalty to any company, I personally love Ps because of what I get, if xbox offered better I would jump ship, but i guess i'll be sticking with play station for awhile .

That is why they will be likely offering a $99 system with some sort of subscription/contract model attached kinda like a cellphone.

I expect Microsoft will have 2 systems available. They must have a hard drive in each system this time.

The key areas Microsoft had this generation were:

1. Price What will the price of the next Xbox and PS4 be?

2. Early start Unless Microsoft decides to release it right after they announce it that won't be an edge this time for them

3. Easy development The PS4 is getting rave reviews from game developers and the system won't be suffering from long load times either

4. Online Throughout the generation Sony has really upped their service and with Plus it just added a whole new level of value.

So it seems to me Microsoft has its work cut out for them to top the PS4. Will they go a different route? Will it be cheaper? Will Microsoft have an ace up its sleeve? Will Microsoft come out with a ton of new games? We'll just have to wait and see but until then I expect many more of these types of topics swirling about filled with rumors and speculation.

I think what you should consider isn't what MS had previous generation, but what MS created previous generation relative to the competition.

1. Price MS made many good design decision that lead them to having a consistent pricing advantage. Yet the differentiating factor between it's nearest competitor is minimal.

2. Early start Too many attribute the early start to MS success, but it actually was the fact that MS had the foresight to forged great relationships with developers and create great partnerships. In comparison, early releases like Dreamcast didn't pan out. Heck, even RROD was switfly taken care of and forgiven by the public.

3. Easy development Nothing to add here.

4. Online Sony has greatly expanded the value of PSN+, but it is at the cost of decreasing attach rate. This actually might hurt Sony and their partnerships with developers. Good for consumers, but potentially bad for content providers. We will have to wait and see, but this highlights MS strength also. The fact that MS consistently is able to charge premium for their service, when the competition provides a free one and on top of it, provides lots of games on a low cost subscription.

So what you have to take from this is, don't underestimate MS ability to compete. Just look at what they did too the Wii with Kinect.

So does MS have work cut out for it? Yes, they do and it seems Sony has done their homework.

However, I don't see anything that isn't really a reaction to the Xbox 360. Sony needs to turn up the heat and introduce something that differentiates it from the Xbox 360/PS3 other than better looking games, identifying player controllers, a touchpad and a share button. These things seems like it hardly makes a difference, but then again neither did achievements.

You guys really think all of this doom and glooms stuff you put on your little website and submit to N4G will sway people from M$. You are doing yourselves and gamers a disservice by trying to predict doom and gloom for a company that has as much chance of failing as your lame site has of becoming mainstream.

My advise is to wait until you know something before having such a strong OPINION. What will likely happen is that your prediction will be completely off and you end up looking very unreliable. That will hurt your brand (not that you actually have one. But you know what I mean).

Next: Win 8 does not Suck, and the Surface Pro may actually be too successful. So much so in fact, that other OEM are being hurt by it.

Sony has done a good job at impressing their base and even 360 owners like myself. They look to have a good system coming. But am I ready to move from Xbox to PS? No sir, not even close. I have not seen anything from M$ yet (neither have you). I can tell you that Sony has a big weakness that if not addressed with cause M$ automatic success. FAMILY is the keyword. Sony has left that wide open.

When M$ shows the next Xbox and you still have this opinion, you are free to comment with the rest of us right here on N4G. Till then, just can it!

i am running Windows8 64 bit and i can assure you its as performing as win7 with all the updates and sp1, better kernel, memory management, performance, its just a slight change from its predecessors.

now..... you all saw the move from xbox to 360, didnt you? unexpected, brutal, even me a ps2 owner, was in awe for the first wave of games in the hd era. they got me as a custumer, and a hapy one despite of the 5 xbox rrods, and allways freely replaced by new ones, contradicting some posts here that we had to rebuy new consoles. thats true, they launched a rushed product, but they had no choice. overal it was the best console we have ever saw. it was not the queen of the teraflops, it was a balanced one, easy on the go, developer friendly, and a cheap one also, now.... are MS stupid to rely on the 360 success and turn into a cable tv provider? why do you think they have no AAA first party titles like sony does lately? because to MS the party was almost over 2,5 years ago, as they achieved largely their goals, instead to sony, the party was just beginning as they had to maximize theis ps3 lifespan and also its well known that not all blockbusters sold as they wished. MSFT will be with full power at e3 with 3 years of next gen projects, features and all the bullshit were used to.

Isn't that like being masochistic, 5 rrod, goddamn, you must be shi##ng money, anyways, like I said before, people don't owe loyalty to any company, so go for the one that suits you best. In my opinion Ps “cares more” about me, by offering the best value per dollar spent, just think about it homie.

I agree with most of your comment, even though I find it rather condescending.

I would like to point out though that Sony is probably going to be pushing their social aspects of the system in order to gain interest in the family market. It's no secret how popular social media has become, and it has made what was once difficult, easy. The fact that family and friends can now easily connect to one another is a huge plus in their cap in this regard.

How this translates to actual sales remains to be seen. Realistically I can see that when it comes to social aspects, a PC or tablet or smartphone are probably much more ubiquitous, and there are common social networking sites that work on all of them.

The only advantage is that Sony can really push a family oriented gaming console should they decide to take the next logical step, which is allowing people to play easily with one another through their own network...think a socially connected Wii. It removes the physical presence aspect of socializing, and can help to bring distant family and friends together in a meaningful way. At least that's my take on it. There would obviously have to be software to support it, and it looks like Move will take care of those that are put off by traditional controls.

Sony does support the family market now, it just isn't a really dominate force in their marketing, so it goes unseen by most of us due to us probably not caring much about it.

I know for a fact that a lot of my friends had a "falling out" from their xbox due to kinect (cannot forget a friend whose childhood was destroyed by star war's galactic dance off) If not only for Halo ang Gears they've sold their xbox.

Specs wise I do not think xbox and sony will differ that much. Kinect might also work as their wildcard ....

For MS it's never been about games, it's about protecting their cash cow Windows OS. The only reason MS sells Xbox is because they see Playstation as a potential threat. Meanwhile with all their attention on Sony the last few years, they missed Google and Apple because they missed on mobile.

I for one use and love Windows 8. Most that bash it haven't even tested it out. And thank god that awful start button is gone, i barely used it for more then shut-down. The new tile system is very useful and stunning.

I like Windows 8 just fine...got it free from school. It's not really worth the current price to upgrade from Windows 7 though.

The Metro UI is not as convenient for a productivity environment in my opinion though. It's also not well suited for a regular PC. It's functional, and highly customizable, but I still prefer the start menu. There was no real reason to remove it except to force people to use Metro for what amounts to the same thing as the start menu. I pretty much turned off the tile system, and changed all my default programs to run in actual desktop programs as I find it more productive.

@kneon I actually like the Windows phone. Got one free from MS and am very impressed with it. I probably never would have actively searched one out if I were buying a phone though. I'm also not one of those people that does 100 things on my phone. Basically it's texting, calling, and the occasional web page. I'd imagine though that it's people's reluctance to try something different that may keep them away, or they just feel that Google or Apple do it better for whatever reason. All that being said, I still prefer Droid, but hey it was free.:)

I am concerned. The company that is losing money is focussing on games, the company that makes money is focusing on anything but games. Personally I don't see either acting very smart. I will probably go PC this time around and get a console in a few years if I feel the need.

I hope the next xbox is a fantastic piece of tech. I'd also like them to get back to focusing on core gamers and offering more exclusive titles. Proper competition is a great thing in this industry and it benefits all gamers. Get back to putting out awesome exclusive titles that will keep Sony & Nintendo on their toes and quit the bs backroom dlc and timed exclusive deals, that money can be spent in better ways.

I am a Playstation fanboy and I will admit this. I will be buying the PS4 on launch period. I did own a 360 but for myself personally I saw no real need for it because honestly I saw no real exclusives to keep me attached. The only game I cared for was "Gears Of War"

I dont play much online gaming so exclusives, single player story games are what I like and I felt the 360 lacked these big time. Who knows maybe microsoft has smartened up and we will see at E3 but i they dont start pushing out NEW IPs/exclusives i wont be buying it.

Another concern it the Kinect 2.0. How much of the durango will be Kinect focused? I am not a fan of the Move or even the kinect. I find these items very kiddish.

M$ has really got to impress me or they lose me. Do I believe the Durango will sell like hot cakes? absolutely

Can I ask you how many PS3 exclusives do you own? Legit question cause alot of people talk about them, but I highly doubt every exclusive Sony releases appeal to the people who state this over n over again.

The majority of my games this gen have been exclusives, Heavenly Sword, Motorstorm 1&2, Warhawk, MGS, Killzone 2&3, Little big planet 1&2, Heavy Rain, Gran Tourismo, God of War, Demon Souls are just some off the top of my head with such quality and diversity I'm surprised you would doubt their appeal.

I pointed this out earlier today, but had Sony not jumped the gun with their announcement of the PS4, nobody would be reacting this way when it comes to Microsoft and the next Xbox.

The next Xbox wont be coming out until November, so they have plenty of time to show us what it has to offer, and there is this pretty big gaming show called E3, maybe some of you have heard of it? Ya, well that is the perfect venue to show off a new console.

Considering that Sony actually divulged very little information about the PS4, so little info in fact that you cannot even pre-order one right now. I think Microsoft is fine as long as they announce something right before or right at E3. Nobody is going to make a decision right this second, unless they were already decided, as we all have brands we might prefer.

well im def not poor. I actually have a fantastic paying job so money is not really any issue. I wont be buying the 720 unless they prove to me they are putting focus into new ips.

Halo (Sucks) gears of war (good but is now old) Judgement fell short)

then you got Fable & Forza which I have no interest int.

the only games I did enjoy was Kameo and condemned when the console was released but to me the console has gone down over the years. Microsoft IMO shifted focus on making it a media center with stupid Kinect rather then a gaming console.

I have x2 3d smart tv's that have netflix on them and what not I dont need another damn media center. I want a gaming console

We all know that Microsoft is coming out with a new console this year, November is the holidays and makes the most sense.

They have plenty of time to show off the console before E3 or at E3 if they so choose. Honestly I understand this is Sony land or the Sony Defense Team network, but it makes sense to wait and build up hype, like Microsoft or hate them, you can bet your butt that everyone will be tuning in to what Microsoft has to show, doesn't matter if you tune in to watch them fall on their ass or to bring the awesomeness, just about every gamer will be watching.

Microsoft hasn't had to announce a thing and they dominate the headlines, that just goes to show what any type of press will do for you, negative or positive.

Previously Sony had released a new console every 6 years, PS4 is late by 1 year. Sony didn't jump the gun, they are late.

PS1 - 1994 PS2 - 2000 PS3 - 2006 PS4 - 2013

Nintendo was the only one to release on schedule. 360 is going onto it's 8th year, that is a really long time. Likely will be on its 9th or possibly even 10th if it doesn't release in time for this year.

He meant jump the gun with the announcing it prematurely. A lot of people are upset they didn't show the console, they didn't have a solid release DATE, they did not have a price point, they showed mainly sequels/not as many games as we hoped for, etc.

The problem I see MS having is if the 720 message is all about entertainment & Kinect with little core talk. Then they are going to have a hard time selling the 720 at £300-£400 + Gold fee, when you can still buy a PS3/360, Apple TV and Roku for the entertainment apps.

Ok, just looking at the authors article about the doom and gloom of MS and windows 8 sucking I got curious. Certainly Windows 8 has come under some heavy fire for its desktop interface. So that got me thinking ...maybe MS really is losing its share in the OS space. So I did some investigating and searched some online stores to see what was being offered up for OS on desktops (keep in mind this doesn't factor versions just the OS maker):

Windows isn't going anywhere, but home use of PC's is likely to decline which will impact revenue.

For most people a PC is massive overkill, you don't need a PC to send the occasional email and surfing lolcats. And since most people can't maintain a PC then a tablet is a better choice for most home use.

The long term implication of this is that PC gaming will also suffer since many people start PC gaming because they already have a PC. If the xbox.next fails to gain traction then their role in the consumer market will be significantly diminished.

Even if they fell out of the console market they still have millions from their os and tablet.

In my opinion, Windows XP is still the best OS ever. every other version before and after was and is garbage. Windows 8 is so glitchy and offers things that are useless to me. Windows 8 is full of clutter.

I think everything Microsoft currently does is crappy, except WP8. I really do think WP8 is the best mobile OS.

Their PC os is crappy though. W8 is not a peerfect fit for tablets and pcs. They have essentially taken a dump on their xbox supporters by turning it into a camera game console. They have a history of doing this though. They build their base, then drop all the support for that base. It's just business.

Microsoft will stay around for many years, and like the NY Yankees, they make many many mistakes. It's just that we tend to forget the mistakes and remember only what makes them wildly popular. It's a numbers game. Throw 10 darts at the board and one is bound to stick.